Dielectric Behavior of Lysozyme and Ferricytochrome-c in Water/Ethylene-Glycol Solutions

This work deals with a dielectric study at radio frequencies of the influence at room temperature of two organic molecules, known as cryo-protectants, ethylene-glycol and glycerol, on conformational and dynamic properties of two model proteins, lysozyme (lys) from chicken egg-white and ferricytochrome-c (cyt-c) from horse heart. Cyt-c is a compact globular protein whereas lys is composed of two structural domains, separated by the active site cleft. Measurements were carried out at the fixed temperature of 20°C varying the concentration of the cosolvent up to 90% w/w. From the analysis of the dielectric relaxation of the protein solution, the effective hydrodynamic radius and the electric dipole moment of the protein were calculated as a function of the cosolvent concentration. The data show that glycerol does not modify significantly the conformation of both proteins and cyt-c is also stable in the presence of ethylene-glycol. On the contrary ethylene-glycol strongly affects the dielectric response of lysozyme denoting a specific effect on its conformation and dynamics. The data are coherently interpreted hypothesizing that glycol molecule wedges between and separates the two domains of lys making them rotationally independent

Collimator scatter factor: Monte Carlo and in-air measurements approaches

Abstract Background Linac output as a function of field sizes has a phantom and a head scatter component. This last term can be measured in-air with appropriate build-up ensuring a complete electron equilibrium and the absence of the contaminant electrons. Equilibrium conditions could be achieved using a build-up cap or a mini-phantom. Monte Carlo simulations in a virtual phantom mimicking a mini-phantom were analysed with the aim of better understanding the setup conditions for measuring the collimator scatter factor that is the head scatter component of the linac output factors. Methods Beams of 6 and 15 MV from a TrueBeam, with size from 4 × 4 to 40 × 40 cm2 were simulated in cylindrical acrylic phantoms 20 cm long, of different diameters, from 0.5 to 4 cm, with the cylinder axis coincident with the beam central axis. The PRIMO package, based on PENELOPE Monte Carlo code, was used. The phase-space files for a Varian TrueBeam linac, provided by the linac vendor, were used for the linac head simulation. Depth dose curves were analysed, and collimator scatter factors estimated at different depth in the different phantom conditions. Additionally, in-air measurements using acyrilic and brass build-up caps, as well as acrylic mini-phantom were acquired for 6 and 18 MV beams from a Varian Clinac DHX. Results The depth dose curves along the cylinders were compared, showing, in each phantom, very similar curves for all analysed field sizes, proving the correctness in estimating the collimator scatter factor in the mini-phantom, provided to position the detector to a sufficient depth to exclude electron contamination. The results were confirmed by the measurements, where the acrylic build-up cap showed to be inadequate to properly estimate the collimator scatter factors, while the mini-phantom and the brass caps gave reasonable measurements. Conclusion A better understanding of the beam characteristics inside a virtual mini-phantom through the analysis of depth dose curves, showed the critical points of using the acrylic build-up cap, and suggested the use of the mini-phantom for the collimator scatter factor measurements in the medium-large field size range

Evaluation of target dose inhomogeneity in breast cancer treatment due to tissue elemental differences

Abstract Background Monte Carlo simulations were run to estimate the dose variations generated by thedifference arising from the chemical composition of the tissues. Methods CT datasets of five breast cancer patients were selected. Mammary gland was delineated as clinical target volume CTV, as well as CTV_lob and CTV_fat, being the lobular and fat fractions of the entire mammary gland. Patients were planned for volumetric modulated arc therapy technique, optimized in the Varian Eclipse treatment planning system. CT, structures and plans were imported in PRIMO, based on Monte Carlo code Penelope, to run three simulations: AdiMus, where the adipose and muscle tissues were automatically assigned to fat and lobular fractions of the breast; Adi and Mus, where adipose and muscle, respectively were assigned to the whole mammary gland. The specific tissue density was kept identical from the CT dataset. Differences in mean doses in the CTV_lob and CTV_fat structures were evaluated for the different tissue assignments. Differences generated by the tissue composition and estimated by Acuros dose calculations in Eclipse were also analysed. Results From Monte Carlo simulations, the dose in the lobular fraction of the breast, when adipose tissue is assigned in place of muscle, is overestimated by 1.25 ± 0.45%; the dose in the fat fraction of the breast with muscle tissue assignment is underestimated by 1.14 ± 0.51%. Acuros showed an overestimation of 0.98 ± 0.06% and an underestimation of 0.21 ± 0.14% in the lobular and fat portions, respectively. Reason of this dissimilarity resides in the fact that the two calculations, Monte Carlo and Acuros, differently manage the range of CT numbers and the material assignments, having Acuros an overlapping range, where two tissues are both present in defined proportions. Conclusion Although not clinically significant, the dose deposition difference in the lobular and connective fat fraction of the breast tissue lead to an improved knowledge of the possible dose distribution and homogeneity in the breast radiation treatment

RapidPlan head and neck model: the objectives and possible clinical benefit

Abstract Background To evaluate a knowledge based planning model for RapidPlan (RP) generated for advanced head and neck cancer (HNC) patient treatments, as well its ability to possibly improve the clinical plan quality. The stability of the model was assessed also for a different beam geometry, different dose fractionation and different management of bilateral structures (parotids). Methods Dosimetric and geometric data from plans of 83 patients presenting HNC were selected for the model training. All the plans used volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT, RapidArc) to treat two targets at dose levels of 69.96 and 54.45 Gy in 33 fractions with simultaneous integrated boost. Two models were generated, the first separating the ipsi- and contra-lateral parotids, while the second associating the two parotids to a single structure for training. The optimization objectives were adjusted to the final model to better translate the institutional planning and dosimetric strategies and trade-offs. The models were validated on 20 HNC patients, comparing the RP generated plans and the clinical plans. RP generated plans were also compared between the clinical beam arrangement and a simpler geometry, as well as for a different fractionation scheme. Results RP improved significantly the clinical plan quality, with a reduction of 2 Gy, 5 Gy, and 10 Gy of the mean parotid, oral cavity and laryngeal doses, respectively. A simpler beam geometry was deteriorating the plan quality, but in a small amount, keeping a significant improvement relative to the clinical plan. The two models, with one or two parotid structures, showed very similar results. NTCP evaluations indicated the possibility of improving (NTCP decreasing of about 7%) the toxicity profile when using the RP solution. Conclusions The HNC RP model showed improved plan quality and planning stability for beam geometry and fractionation. An adequate choice of the objectives in the model is necessary for the trade-offs strategies

Flattening filter free beams from TrueBeam and Versa HD units: Evaluation of the parameters for quality assurance

Purpose: Flattening filter free (FFF) beams generated by medical linear accelerators are today clinically used for stereotactical and non-stereotactical radiotherapy treatments. Such beams differ from the standard flattened beams (FF) in the high dose rate and the profile shape peaked on the beam central axis. Definition of new parameters as unflatness and slope for FFF beams has been proposed based on a renormalization factor for FFF profiles. The present study aims to assess the dosimetric differences between FFF beams generated by linear accelerators from different vendors, and to provide renormalization and parameter data of the two kinds of units. Methods: Dosimetric data from two Varian TrueBeam and two Elekta Versa HD linear accelerators, all with 6 and 10 MV nominal accelerating potentials, FF and FFF modes have been collected. Renormalization factors and related fit parameters according to Fogliata et al. ["Definition of parameters for quality assurance of flattening filter free (FFF) photon beams in radiation therapy," Med. Phys. 39, 6455-6464 (2012)] have been evaluated for FFF beams of both units and energies. Unflatness and slope parameters from profile curves were evaluated. Dosimetric differences in terms of beam penetration and near-the-surface dose were also assessed. Results: FFF profile parameters have been updated; renormalization factors and unflatness from the Varian units are consistent with the published data. Elekta FFF beam qualities, different from the Varian generated beams, tend to express similar behaviour as the FF beam of the corresponding nominal energy. TPR20,(10) for 6 and 10 MV FF and FFF TrueBeam beams are 0.665, 0.629 (6 MV) and 0.738, 0.703 (10 MV). The same figures for Versa HD units are 0.684, 0.678 (6 MV) and 0.734, 0.721 (10 MV). Conclusions: Renormalization factor and unflatness parameters evaluated from Varian and Elekta FFF beams are provided, in particular renormalization factors table and fit parameters. (C) 2016 American Association of Physicists in Medicine